8/15/07

I love living in a Chicago neighborhood where all the signs are in Spanish and most also have English. I love learning how to sound respectful though stupid in Spanish. When I find myself checking out at Trader Joe's and trying to remember how to say, "That's okay, thank you, I've got my own bag," in Spanish, I feel a little more worldly.But, goodness gracious, what a relaxing feeling to be back in New England for a few days last week, and not have to think about that. I was watching my first polo match in Newport, RI, and I realized that I didn't have to worry about taking the right tone or being misunderstood by the subduedly rowdy, extremely white people on either side of our little bivouac. Castiglione is the model here. You don't have to worry that effete will be mistaken for effeminate. Disinvoltura, not machismo.